The present invention relates in general to animated displays including rails or tracks along which an ornament moves, and in particular to a new and useful track display having a powered track assembly on which an ornament, for example, Santa's sleigh and reindeer, can travel.
Track toys which simulate railroads or automotive roads are well known. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,063 which discloses a powered railroad on which a toy train can operate used in conjunction with a powered road bed on which toy cars can travel. U.S. Pat. No. 2,711,857 discloses a model railroad track and a structure for applying electrical power to the track.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,892 discloses a traction unit for an electric model railroad train for facilitating powering the electric train and facilitating its movement along a track.
Various mechanisms are also known for moving seasonal ornaments along a path. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,858,339, 3,820,265 and 5,077,922 all disclose structures for moving Santa with his sleigh and reindeer along a path, or in a repeating animated manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,120 discloses an ornament in a form of a sphere containing a sleigh and horse which rotates within the ornament. Power is applied in a sequential manner to lighting associated with the ornament for enhancing the display.